5 Pop-Up Businesses You Can Launch in 7 Days

Many entrepreneurs enjoy the luxuries of time and healthy budgets when launching their new businesses. But for the 1.6 million Americans laid off or fired every month, time and cash are generally in short supply. It seems starting a business would be a bad move for them, right? After all, the fastest way to restore one’s income – and make sure the bills get paid – is to go find a new job, right?

Actually, that’s not necessarily the case. On average, companies take 22.9 days to interview and assess new hires. When you add the time it might take for you to actually get called to an interview – perhaps 2-4 weeks – you could be looking at two months before you are back in a job, no matter how much time you dedicated to sending out resumes.

On the flip side, there are a lot of pop-up business you can launch in just a few days. It could be that, for you, starting a business is actually the best way to bring in money quickly.

Of course, not all businesses are ripe for pop-up situations. For example, you won’t be able to make the next Facebook in seven days. That’s just a fact. Sorry.

But there are plenty of more modest businesses that you launch rapidly with little or no financial investment – and a business of this sort could save you from the financial ruin that often comes with sudden unemployment.

Take a look at few examples of businesses you could launch in just about week. Who knows – maybe one of them is right for you?

1. Gardening

Even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can still offers some in-demand gardening services to your local community. Lawn mowing, weeding, and waste clearance are all fairly easy to do, regardless of one’s gardening skills. They’re also tasks that many working homeowners don’t have time to attend to themselves.

All you need to get your gardening business off the ground is some form of transportation that can carry your equipment, a lawn mower, garden tools, and some leaflets about your new company. Within hours, you could have yourself a suitable client base.

2. Food Preparation

Are you a good cook? Then you can start offering domestic catering services (for dinner parties, children’s parties, barbecues, and the like) to households in your area right away.

But even if you can’t cook, you can quickly develop a niche kitchen skill with the help of some Internet training. For example, you could learn how to make pizza in just a few hours. Within days, you can rent or buy a mobile pizza oven and start selling your pies at festivals, farmer’s markets, and other similar events.

3. Man-With-a-Van

All you need for this is a van. Then, you’ll want to put together a website, a Facebook page, some business cards, and some leaflets. List your service on sites like Yelp and Craigslist. You could be up and running, transporting bulky goods for your clients, within just a few days.

4. A Mobile Bicycle Repair Service

Obviously, you’ll need to know a little something about bikes to carry out this plan, but as long as you have that knowledge, you’re set. You can target high-end users who love cycling but lack the time (or skill) to perform maintenance on their own bikes. Offer a boutique service that meets them wherever need be: at home, at work, or even out on the bike trails.

5. A Digital Business

If you have a computer-based skill that can be performed virtually for clients, then you can run a successful business out of your own home – especially if your skill is in high demand and low supply. Hit the freelance marketplaces, like Upwork and Freelancer – to find yourself a few gigs.

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I hope I have opened your eyes to some of the fast-to-market startup opportunities that exist for people who want to get moving quickly. Of course, just because these businesses can be set up in a few days, that doesn’t mean setting them up will be easy. You’ll need to put a little blood, sweat, and tears into it, but you can make it work.

Kazim Ladimeji is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, and has been a practicing HR professional for 14 years. Kazim is the Director of The Career Cafe: a resource for start-ups, small business and job seekers.